Top 9 Best Refrigerators Under 20000 In India: Expert Picks of 2023

Last Updated on 15 January, 2023 by Sourav Roy

Finding the best refrigerator under 20,000 can be bewildering. You have two options to choose from – a single door and a double door.

Sure, you can log on to any e-commerce website. But what are you going to find there? Excessive options. This is only going to lead you to more confusion. There’s no way you will conclude anything. Waste of time and waste of energy!

To keep you away from all the dilemmas, I have curated a list of the top 9 refrigerators – single and double door. The most obvious disparity is the capacity. In case you are unsure of what should suffice your family, I have well explained it below. The features, price, energy efficiency, brand and more. I have compared the trending refrigerators on various parameters.

So, one thing is for sure. By the end of my blog, there will be no confusion whatsoever. Should we begin?

1. Samsung 253L 2 Star Inverter Frost Free Double Door Refrigerator

We’ll start off our list with one of Samsung’s best low-end refrigerators. When it comes to cooling prowess, this refrigerator is easily one of the best you can find.

Samsung 253L 2 Star Inverter Frost Free Double Door Refrigerator

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Reasons To Buy The Samsung 253L 2 Star Inverter Frost Free Double Door Refrigerator

Power-efficient: For a start, it uses a Digital Compressor, which is significantly better than its standard variant. Unlike a regular compressor that runs at full speed, this one can adjust its own speed based on the load inside. This adjustment allows it to cool all the food inside the fridge without overcompensating for the total amount of items inside. To clarify, it won’t end up running at the power needed to cool a filled up fridge while the fridge is only half full. Our primary reason for keeping this fridge in the first place is its sheer performance. It’s far easier to overlook the 3 Star energy rating thanks to the presence of this inverter.

Runs Noiselessly: The Digital Compressor also has other convenient benefits that add to the refrigerator’s quality of life value. One of such benefits is noise reduction– on a fridge running a regular compressor, you’d hear a significant amount of extra noise. Sometimes the noise can get incredibly irritating. Having a Digital Compressor takes the noise production down to a minimum level, so you won’t be bothered when you’re near it. Not to mention, there’s also a huge increase in general durability, so this refrigerator can last longer because of this kind of Compressor.

Excellent Cooling Capacity: Besides the components, the rest of the refrigerator is also designed to cool itself uniformly. As in, it can cool every corner of the fridge, so all of your food will remain fresh. Regular refrigerators don’t have such good cooling because the cold air can’t be as potent at certain corners, so the food in such corners isn’t fresh. The fridge cools all the harder to reach corners through several vents that lay at the shelf level. The general cooling speed itself is top-notch too- you’ll get cold air in no time and have it distributed perfectly well within the fridge.

Sturdy Build Quality: Moving on, the refrigerator also has some great quality when it comes to construction. It comes with toughened glass shelves, so you can easily put in heavy items without worrying about the glass breaking. Not to mention, as these aren’t grilled wire shelves, you won’t accidentally spill liquids on other food items if they fall on the surface of the shelf. Maintaining these glass shelves is also easy, as they slide out very smoothly. That’s not the only feature that adds to the convenience- the door racks are better as well. They’re taller, so you can keep larger bottles without worrying about them tilting and falling down.

Interior Remains Smell Free: Lastly, another notable feature of this refrigerator is its Deodoriser Filter. You can freely put in anything you want, including items with a strong odour like fish because of this filter. You don’t have to worry about the smell spreading to your other food items, as the refrigerator uses specialised Carbon Filters that catch any powerful scents, preventing them from spreading to the rest of the food inside the fridge.

Frequently Asked Questions

Bottom line

That’s not even the end of the features this fridge can offer, as it’s loaded with them. It has other advanced features like a cool pack and an ice maker. It’s more than qualified to be the starter product on our list, and we’re sure you’ll be very satisfied with it.

2. Haier 258 L 3 Star Inverter Frost-Free Double Door Refrigerator

This refrigerator from Haier comes with state-of-the-art technology that improves both cooling and its overall quality. You’ll certainly be impressed with all the practical features that this fridge offers.

1,113 Reviews

Haier 258 L 3 Star Inverter Frost-Free Double Door Refrigerator

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Reasons To Buy The Haier 258 L 3 Star Inverter Frost-Free Double Door Refrigerator

Offers Optimised Performance: Let’s talk about the Inverter technology used in this refrigerator first, as that’s one of its biggest benefits. A refrigerator with an Inverter Compressor is generally much better than a refrigerator with a regular one. However, this fridge from Haier goes a step further and provides even more power efficiency with two compressors. With Twin Inverter technology, both the compressor and fan are running through inverters. As such, they can both change their speeds based on load.

Since the fan will also be able to reduce its power alongside the compressor, you can expect significantly higher power savings. Not to mention, the Star Rating for this refrigerator is 3 Stars, which is essentially the best you can find in this budget. The double inverters also help reduce noise production significantly.

Good Overall Cooling: Even more, you don’t have to worry about the general cooling power either. The refrigerator can cool very well; it can even produce ice incredibly fast. Although, there won’t be any inconveniences because of that, as this fridge is a Frost Free one. If any ice accumulates in unnecessary places, the refrigerator will detect and melt that ice. The amount of thought put into this refrigerator is also visible in its design.

The PUF insulation on it is much thicker. As a result, it stays at lower temperatures consistently, meaning that you can get better cooling. Even the vegetable box is designed to provide better cooling, with a bigger size that allows more airflow.

Versatile Cooling System: That’s not everything the refrigerator offers cooling-wise, either. It comes with a 5-in-1 Convertible mode, which allows you to switch the function of the compartments. You can turn the freezer into a regular fridge or do the opposite with the regular compartment. This feature also adds to the refrigerator’s power efficiency- you can keep one compartment on while keeping the other off, preventing yourself from paying the bills for a certain compartment when you don’t use it often.

Premium Body Parts: You can likely already see why this refrigerator deserves to be one of the best refrigerators under 20000. It even has some extra features that make general usage more comfortable. Some of these include the Glass Shelves, which are better to keep items on over their wired counterparts. You don’t have to worry about breaking these, as the glass is hardened. The gaskets are also special- they’re anti-fungal, so you don’t have to worry about germs collecting right outside the compartment.

Frequently Asked Questions

Bottom line

Haier isn’t as known as a refrigerator manufacturer. However, this product is evidence that it’s a diamond in the rough. The product has excellent performance, and it’s even better because it also comes with an inverter, which most average 20k fridges don’t offer.

3. Whirlpool 245 L 2 Star Frost-Free Double Door Refrigerator

Whirlpool has always been known for its quality products. This refrigerator is a prime example, as it comes loaded with advanced and innovative features that make preserving food a very easy task.

Whirlpool 245 L 2 Star Frost-Free Double Door Refrigerator

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Reasons To Buy The Whirlpool 245 L 2 Star Frost-Free Double Door Refrigerator

Offers Enhanced Cooling: This Whirlpool fridge has many powerful cooling enhancements usually not seen in standard refrigerators. But before getting to them, let’s get the design out of the way- it’s excellent on its own. While the refrigerator generally looks attractive on both the inside and outside, it also has an internal design specifically meant for better airflow.

The air tower has vents placed in places that allow more airflow into the compartment. As such, cooling is much more uniform. This placement of vents also increases the cooling speed of liquids- you can have about 40% faster cooling speeds over a standard fridge when cooling things in bottles.

Keeps Food Fresh Longer: Now, let’s talk about the earlier mentioned enhancements. This refrigerator can keep all kinds of food fresh for as long as 12 days. It’s even good for the less common consumables like Ice creams. This freshness is retained using an innovative 6th Sense DeepFreeze technology, which keeps airflow uniform in all directions by making the cold air move in a circular direction. The crisper is also enhanced to work at maximum efficiency. While it can contain vegetables of all sizes, including the larger ones, it also goes an extra step to keep these vegetables safe.

Moisture Lock-in Technology: It uses a Moisture Lock-in technology that evaporates moisture from the food so that the food stays at maximum freshness. There’s a special Freshonizer feature as well. It keeps Oxidation, which can be harmful to fruits and vegetables, to a minimum so that these fruits and vegetables remain fresh longer.

Ensures Good Health: Besides cooling well, this refrigerator can also cool in a healthy way. It uses an effective microbial additive for a start, which can keep bacterial growth to the absolute minimum, keeping your food both healthy and free from spoil. On top of that, it also has a Deodoriser. The Deodoriser can be incredibly useful, as it keeps the strong scent of a certain item from spreading onto the other items in the fridge. So you can cool things like raw flesh with ease without having to worry about the smell spreading onto the other items in the fridge as well.

Handles Power Issues Well: The fridge is equipped with Chilling Gel. So, it can keep food cool longer than an average refrigerator can without any power. The effects of the Gel aren’t very consistent, but you should be able to keep your food fresh for 10-12 hours without any issues.

Frequently Asked Questions

Bottom line

Though our first pick from Whirlpool only has 2 star ratings, it’s still more than worth the price as it makes up for things in other ways. If performance is what you focus on and don’t mind spending a significant sum of money, then you’ll have a good time using this fridge as it offers some of the best cooling on the market.

4. Godrej 236 L 2 Star Inverter Frost-Free Double Door Refrigerator

Of course, this list wouldn’t be complete without Godrej. Their refrigerators are top-notch, and this one undoubtedly has the quality to be one of the best refrigerators under 20000. It has all the exciting new features, including an advanced compressor and additional air vents.

1,214 Reviews

Godrej 236 L 2 Star Inverter Frost-Free Double Door Refrigerator

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Reasons To Buy The Godrej 236 L 2 Star Inverter Frost-Free Double Door Refrigerator

Good Performance With Minimal Energy Loss: First, let’s talk about cooling efficiency. The reciprocating compressor of this refrigerator is much better than all the other standard reciprocating compressors. Though the BEE rating is 2 Star, it has a comparatively lower power consumption. If you’re looking for a refrigerator with a good amount of space, then this one can be ideal for you. Plus, the design itself also enhances this fridge’s cooling without costing extra power by ensuring uniform airflow. Its space is where most of its speciality lies, though.

Offers Plenty Of Space: First, the freezer contains two separate compartments, one for vegetable items and one for non-vegetable items. There’s also a separate space for ice creams. As the general size of the interior is big, this allows you to fit in more items while being organised at the same time. This freezer is big enough to be able to hold up to 5 Litres worth of water bottles. The vegetable tray is also bigger than that of a regular refrigerator, so you can fit in more of such items without struggling for space. As it’s a Jumbo size vegetable tray, you’ll have a hard time running out of space.

Has More Bottle Capacity: Even more, the added space doesn’t end there- there’s even more. The bottle rack on the door can support more weight than you expect. It can even fit in Jumbo-sized bottles without any issue. The bottle rack can hold up to 2.25L of liquids, to be exact. Even more, the added space doesn’t end there- there’s even more. The bottle rack on the door can support more weight than you expect. It can even fit in Jumbo-sized bottles without any issue. The bottle rack can hold up to 2.25L of liquids, to be exact.

Solid Build Quality: The shelves, while being of high quality, are also wider than usual, so you can fit more things into the general compartment as well. They’re made of glass, so spilling won’t be an issue. The glass itself is very strong, as it can hold up to 150 Kgs of weight, which is quite high for a refrigerator of this price. It’s also designed to be healthy for the user- the gasket is bacteria-proof. Hence, you won’t risk any health hazards from bacteria collecting on the edge of your refrigerator door.

Frequently Asked Questions

Bottom line

Despite the low star rating, this Godrej fridge is still a very viable option. Especially because its price is optimised for Indian customers. The fridge is also more than durable and feature-rich enough to perform perfectly in any condition. If you’re still hesitant despite the observations from our experiments, you can rely on the product’s relatively high ratings on its sale page.

5. Whirlpool 245 L 2 Star ( 2019 ) Frost-Free Double-Door Refrigerator

This refrigerator is an earlier version of the other 245L Whirlpool refrigerator on our list. It’s not as good as the other one, but if you’re going for the lower end, then this refrigerator can easily be one of the best refrigerators under 20000. It still holds up well at present, especially as the current prices are lower than the initial ones.

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Whirlpool 245 L 2 Star ( 2019 ) Frost-Free Double-Door Refrigerator

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Reasons To Buy The Whirlpool 245 L 2 Star ( 2019 ) Frost-Free Double-Door Refrigerator

Optimised Airflow For Better Coverage: DeepFreeze technology is one of the best traits of some of Whirlpool’s best refrigerators. And this one, despite being older than the others, also has this powerful feature. It helps the refrigerator manipulate the air in a way that keeps the airflow constantly moving around the interior in a circular motion. As such, foods receive cooling from every angle, ensuring that the freshness stays for a long time and nothing gets spoiled just because the cool air didn’t reach a certain corner.

The Flexi Vent Freshflow Air Tower also adds on to this effect significantly. This tower is a part of the refrigerator’s actual design. Air vents are placed in a way so that every section of the refrigerator receives powerful and uniform cooling. Even the door rack receives equal amounts of cooling, with bottles cooling 40% faster than normal. While these features alone can keep foods at the full freshness, this refrigerator comes equipped with several other features as well.

Extra Features That Extend Freshness: It has a Freshonizer, which can take away Oxidisation from certain fruits and vegetables, slowing down the speed at which the food will spoil. Additionally, there’s also a moisture control feature. The vegetable crisper comes loaded with a Honey Comb Moisture Lock-in mechanism. This mechanism condenses the moisture that exists around the food, causing the air to remain balanced and the food to remain fresh.

The Microblock contributes to the freshness as well. It also helps keep the food healthy in general by preventing the build-up of any harmful bacteria that would generally still be able to accumulate on food kept in a normal fridge.

Doesn’t Accumulate Bad Odours: Besides all that, the refrigerator is also equipped with an Active Deodoriser. So, while the food will stay completely fresh, you’ll be able to know for sure by the fresh smell of whatever you pull out of the fridge. Certain food items with a strong stench that you put inside the fridge will not be able to affect the other food either, so you can eat comfortably and still cool anything without having to put in the extra effort.

Equipped With Extra Convenience Features: It comes with other great features, too, ones you’d see in the higher end refrigerators at this price. The Chilling Gel retains cool air to protect your food from spoilage whenever the power goes out. The Ice Dispenser is also quite handy and makes the refrigerator feel modern.

Frequently Asked Questions

Bottom line

Though an older model and one made of plastic, this fridge’s features are some of the most reliable ones, you can find. These versatile features certainly make this refrigerator enjoyable to use, especially since you can enjoy them at a lower price. We’d recommend giving it a go if you’ve got a medium-big sized family, as it’s a very well rounded option.

6. Samsung 255 L 3 Star Inverter Direct Cool Single Door Refrigerator

Most Single Door refrigerators have an issue where the user tends to run out of space when using them. That’s because they’re smaller than the average Double Door refrigerator. However, this refrigerator from Samsung is much different, as the brand has put more thought when it comes to space in this model. You’ll have an easier time fitting in everything you need. On top of that, this refrigerator is incredibly power efficient, and its look fit right into your home.

Samsung 255 L 3 Star Inverter Direct Cool Single Door Refrigerator

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Reasons To Buy Samsung 255 L 3 Star Inverter Direct Cool Single Door Refrigerator

Offers Good Energy Savings: Every refrigerator that uses a Digital Inverter Compressor is bound to be great at some level, and that’s no less true with this refrigerator. It can cool all your items while utilising the Digital Inverter to provide maximum power efficiency. It considers all the necessary things, so the power adjustment won’t be wrong.

Digital Inverter compressor: In fact, true Digital Inverter compressors even note the ambient temperature before reducing the refrigerator’s power. When it comes to actual power consumption, this refrigerator does decent compared to other refrigerators of this price range. It has the Digital Inverter compressor and 3 Star BEE rating, so you can rest assured knowing you don’t have to pay too high electricity bills.

Easily Counters Power Issues: This refrigerator has one more significant edge over all of its counterparts. While being able to run on a Home Inverter, it can also operate on Solar Energy. That means you can keep your food fresh even if the power goes out for long periods. This feature will be incredibly handy, as India is prone to long power cuts every once in a while, regardless of how developed an area is.

Inbuilt stabiliser: It also has an inbuilt stabiliser, so voltage fluctuations don’t become a nuisance. You can save money in two ways, in this aspect. For one, you don’t have to spend money on repairs as these situations can’t damage the refrigerator. Secondly, you don’t have to pay for an external stabiliser either.

Equipped With Extra Protection: This refrigerator is good with safety, as you can see with our earlier point. While being perfect for dealing with power problems, it can keep things convenient for you in other ways too. Its shelves won’t break, despite being made of glass. They can take as much as 175 Kgs of weight, while other models can only take 150 Kgs.

Back cover: There’s also a back cover that keeps the important components from being damaged by environmental hazards like dust, moisture or even insects. The safety aspect isn’t for the fridge itself either- this refrigerator is incredibly good at keeping harmful bacteria from being on food. Even the gasket is anti-bacterial so that there’s no chance of outside contamination.

Clean And Charming Aesthetic Appeal: Even the general design of this Samsung refrigerator is very remarkable. The door is coloured attractively, and there are various colours you can choose from. The bottom line also enhances the look by making the refrigerator seem like a Double Door refrigerator. The door handle is nice to look at, too, as it has a chrome finish that gives off a modern look. There’s a handy bottom drawer for dry storage too, which blends in and enhances the overall looks of the fridge.

Frequently Asked Questions

Bottom line

To begin with, the fridge comes loaded with features that can easily compete with other best options for the price. If performance or durability is your concern, then you’ll appreciate how good both of these are when it comes to this model. Plus, it’s also pretty convenient to use, thanks to its taller than average height.

7. LG 190 L 4 Star Inverter Direct-Cool Single Door Refrigerator

This refrigerator from LG might be exactly what you’re looking for if you want a compact refrigerator that works well and consumes little energy.

2,375 Reviews

LG 190 L 4 Star Inverter Direct-Cool Single Door Refrigerator

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Reasons To Buy LG 190 L 4 Star Inverter Direct-Cool Single Door Refrigerator

Uses An Advanced Compressor: This refrigerator’s power efficiency is high enough to be the top among the best refrigerators under 20000. It does a phenomenal job of keeping food fresh, without wasting power and without relying on many extra features. Specifically, the Smart Inverter compressor works perfectly in tandem with the refrigerator’s internal design to provide maximum performance, all the while without stacking up your power bills.

Inverter Compressor: It does this very well when compared to the average refrigerator with an Inverter Compressor, where the power consumption is low, but the actual power is also low. As in, these compressors tend to underpower the fridge significantly to reduce power consumption. This refrigerator’s Compressor does this smartly and ensures the best cooling possible for every load.

Great At Keeping Food Fresh: The airflow inside is also consistent and goes around in every corner of the refrigerator. So, you can have your food be fresh for a very long time. Additionally, this refrigerator still has one more extra feature that adds to how long the food remains fresh. A lettuce-type box cover condenses evaporated moisture from the food, ensuring that the moisture doesn’t get too much and keeping the air balanced.

Comes With High-Quality Shelves: In regards to build quality, this fridge is pretty decent as well. The components are made up of stainless steel, which means you’ll have to worry far less about corrosion. Plus, it uses hardened Glass Shelves, which are always the best and much better than their wired variants since there are minimal chances of spillage. These shelves are easy to clean and can hold items better.

Quick Ice Production: The quick-ice feature is also incredibly handy, as it can produce ice within more or less 108 minutes. That may not seem like much, but you’ll find this feature to be as handy as we mentioned when Summer arrives. Additionally, that also says a lot about the refrigerators raw cooling power, making it an even more viable option.

Frequently Asked Questions

Bottom line

As you can see, this refrigerator is certainly a great option, even if it’s not filled to the brim with features. It’s durable, too, even coming with a mechanism that effectively connects it to a Home Inverter in the case of a power cut. That’s why we think it’s more than deserving of being on our list. With how reliable and sturdy it is, you’re never going to regret your purchase.

8. Samsung 198 L 5 Star Inverter Direct-Cool Single Door Refrigerator

This 198L refrigerator from Samsung is the least power consuming fridge you can find under 20000. It comes with good features and has a gorgeous design that can catch anyone’s eyes.

3,811 Reviews

Samsung 198 L 5 Star Inverter Direct-Cool Single Door Refrigerator

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Reasons To Buy Samsung 198 L 5 Star Inverter Direct-Cool Single Door Refrigerator

Top-tier Energy Savings: As we already know, a Digital Inverter is almost a must in any good refrigerator. This one comes with one such Inverter, so it doesn’t consume a lot of electricity. Indeed, you’ll enjoy the performance of a premium brand while only having to pay a very low electricity bill. There are no compromises in cooling power- we’ll get to that in a moment.

Equipped With Protection Against Voltage Fluctuations: You won’t have any power-related issues either, as this refrigerator can handle itself easily whenever you face voltage fluctuations. It can also work on Solar Energy, so you can run it even when you have no power. The Inverter can run it at maximum efficiency, even if it’s not running on direct current.

Practical Design: This model looks good and is also capable of lasting a long time. Even the back has extra protection. And in regards to the performance- the fridge is designed to enhance cooling both actively and passively. It can fill up with cold air quickly and doesn’t take long to make ice. The vegetable box can keep the items you put in it fresh for as long as 15 days. The best thing about all that is that you can make good use of all the potential, as the inside is incredibly spacious. Even the shelves are a little wider, and you can put more things on them as they can take on items as heavy as 175 Kgs. Lastly, to top it all off, there’s a base drawer for dry items, too.

Looks Elegant And Appealing: It’s hard to find a design that offers both practicality and visuals when it comes to the standard fridges. This one, though, sets itself apart by achieving such a feat. That’s one of the primary reasons our team considers this fridge to be one of the best 20k options on the Indian market. Aside from having a beautiful pattern, the shape itself is very unique- the top edges of the fridge are curved. The Garo handle is also practical and has a great design.

Frequently Asked Questions

Bottom line

If you want to go for the least expensive fridge in the Rs 20,000 range, then this model is for you. You’ll get a low price during the initial purchase, and you can even save up some money long term, thanks to the top-tier power savings. The features are also more than satisfactory, while the fridge itself provides excellent cooling.

9. Whirlpool 200 L 4 Star Inverter Direct-Cool Single Door Refrigerator

This variant of Whirlpool’s 200L refrigerator is the perfect blend of beauty and performance. It also has excellent build quality, so you can use it for a very long time.

434 Reviews

Whirlpool 200 L 4 Star Inverter Direct-Cool Single Door Refrigerator

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Reasons To Buy Whirlpool 200 L 4 Star Inverter Direct-Cool Single Door Refrigerator

Premium Design: Let’s begin with the appearance at first- while it does have a great performance, the first thing that will catch your eye will be the design. The colour is rich and incredibly attractive. The body’s shape is unique as well- the handle is arched with a beautiful finish on top, with the top shaped like a crescent. Overall, the whole exterior looks like one of a very expensive refrigerator.

Enhanced Cooling Efficiency: Now, in terms of performance, the refrigerator has some unique things going for it as well. The capillaries between the compressor and the freezer are surrounded by very cold gas, which increases the compressor’s efficiency. On top of that, it also speeds up cooling and retains the cold air for as long as 9 hours in case of a blackout. The extra cooling power can also make ice faster than any other refrigerator in the same price range.

Extra Features To Ensure More Freshness: While keeping everything cool, it can also keep everything fresh for a very long time, and that’s not just because of the cooling capacity. This refrigerator has the Honey Comb Lock-in technology, so moisture and air will remain balanced. Zeolite technology can also preserve important nutrients and maintain the right situation for vegetables to be as fresh as possible. The laminar airflow also helps in this. The refrigerator uses specialised cooling vents to make sure that the air reaches every part of the food. As such, all parts of the food are maintained at an even temperature.

Prioritises User Health: Essentially being a cheaper version of the first Whirlpool fridge we talked about, this one too comes with all the health protection technology the earlier option we reviewed. There’s the incredibly effective anti-bacterial gasket, and it uses the MicroBlock technology Whirlpool is known for as well. The best thing is that the technology actually works, unlike other similar gimmicky features found in standard refrigerators. That’s because the fridge contains special antimicrobial additives, which break off any sort of bacteria or moulds before they have a chance to grow.

Frequently Asked Questions

Bottom line

Don’t underestimate this fridge simply because it’s the last on our list. The products we have on this list have an edge over one another in at least one way. This one will provide you with solid performance, and its flaws are also very easy to ignore. You’ll be glad to own it, and it’ll serve you for a long time, thanks to the build quality coming from a premium brand like Whirlpool.

Recommended Reading: 9 Best Refrigerators In India 2023

Best Refrigerators Under 20000 In India (2023) – Buying Guide And Tips

A refrigerator is a long term investment, and it also affects your health directly. Consumables need to be kept in a frozen state so that any bacteria doesn’t have a chance to grow and spoil them. While you can go for attractive deals, it’s also important to make sure each feature of the refrigerator is up to stands, both to protect your food and your health. This guide will help you pick the best refrigerator under 20000.

How does a refrigerator work?

As we already know, the basic concept of a refrigerator is to keep food cold enough to prevent bacterial growth, reducing the chances of it spoiling. Now, let’s talk more about how that works.

We’ll also talk about how each component fits together and makes up the mechanics of the refrigerator. For the most part, you can consider and choose these components yourself, so it would be best to know how they work.

Let’s talk about the basics a little more in-depth first. The process of cooling works through evaporation. Whenever a certain kind of liquid evaporates, it takes away heat. Whenever it condenses, it lets out heat.

There are five major components to a refrigerator: the evaporator coils, the condenser, the expansion device, the compressor, and the refrigerant.

The process starts with the refrigerant- it goes into the expansion device and starts expanding due to low pressure. Eventually, it turns into gas after cooling down. In that form, the refrigerant flows around the evaporator coils, which causes the food inside to lose heat.

Once it finishes doing a round, the compressor takes ahold of the refrigerant, squeezing it to raise its temperature with a higher pressure. As a result, the refrigerant turns into a hot gas. This is where condenser coils come into play- located on the back of the fridge; these coils take the refrigerant and release the heat in it into the atmosphere. Without the heat, the refrigerant reverts to its liquid state.

The process starts over again, with the refrigerant going back into the expansion device. This loop of absorbing the heat from the inside and releasing it outside continues, keeping the food at low temperatures.

Different types of Refrigerators

Now, let’s talk about the types of refrigerators you can buy. There are several types based on the arrangement of compartments. Each of these has its own special features and price ranges.

1. Single Door Refrigerator

As the name suggests, this kind of refrigerators have one door only. That means that both the freezer and the fridge are in the same compartment. The freezer still has a separate portion inside the fridge where it cools more than the regular part. However, you have to open the main compartment and expose the fridge to get to it.

Recommended Reading: 9 Best Single Door Refrigerators in India 2023

2. Double Door Refrigerator

Like the last one, the name says all about this sort of refrigerators. They come with two doors, one for the regular fridge compartment and a separate one for the freezer compartment. Both compartments are different sizes, though. The regular one is usually much bigger than the freezer one.

Recommended Reading: 9 Best Double Door Refrigerators in India 2023

On a side note, Double Door Refrigerators also come in two forms. They are Top Freezer Refrigerators and Bottom Freezer Refrigerators. There isn’t any impact on performance from either of these forms; the only difference is in convenience- if you eat food fit more for one compartment over the other, then you should get a refrigerator with that compartment on top. For instance, if you eat a lot of fish and meat, it would be best to get a refrigerator with the freezer on top so that you don’t have to bend or squat to get the food out.

Single Door Refrigerators Vs Double Door Refrigerators

There are other kinds of refrigerators, but these are the most commonly used ones. So, here’s a comparison to summarise the benefits and advantages of both.

Double Doors refrigerators are the best under 20000 in terms of pure efficiency, with Single Doors being better for savings.

Types of Refrigerators Based On Cooling Mechanisms

While the types above are two types of refrigerators, you can get under Rs 20000 based on the arrangement; there are also another two types that you can get based on how they work. They are; Direct Cool Refrigerators and Frost Free Refrigerators.

1. Direct Cool Refrigerator

These are the first type of refrigerators before Frost Free ones were manufactured. Direct Cool Refrigerators also tend to be Single Door Refrigerators most of the time.

Direct Cool Refrigerators circulate cold air inside of themselves through natural means, without using any sort of external devices. As there isn’t anything to guide the airflow, the fridge ends up distributing cold air unevenly. Because of this, the refrigerator doesn’t perform as well since some corners of the compartment don’t receive appropriate cooling.

One more thing is that ice tends to build up in the freezer box, and it needs to be removed manually by pressing a specified button. The user needs to do this often and wait a while for the ice to melt as well. These disadvantages aren’t much of a problem to some people, but many can find them very inconvenient.

There is one significant advantage, though. As the cold air inside moves around naturally, the fridge doesn’t need to consume electricity to use external devices. Hence, there’s less power consumption.

2. Frost Free Refrigerator

The Frost Free technology is a huge improvement over its older counterpart. Frost Free refrigerators are usually a little expensive during the initial purchase and use up more electricity, but the benefits are still very convenient.

Through this technology, the refrigerator circulates air inside the fridge through electric fans. These fans regulate the air and ensure that it reaches every part of the compartment. As such, cooling is much more effective.

Another great reason to have this kind of refrigerator is that it doesn’t let any ice build-up in the freezer, so defrosting manually isn’t required.

Direct Cool Vs Frost Free Refrigerators

Here’s a comparison table that summarises both Direct Cool refrigerators and Frost Free ones.

Recommended Reading: Direct Cool Vs Frost Free Refrigerator

Things to consider before buying the best Refrigerator

Now that we’re done talking about all the types of refrigerators you can get under 20k let’s talk about all the specific features. You can look at this portion in order to get the right specifications and pick one of the best refrigerators under 20000.

1. Capacity

Before looking into the more complicated components of the refrigerator, you should consider its capacity first. You can pick that based on the size of your family and personal preferences. It would be ideal to get a refrigerator with a low capacity if you have a small family, but if you like to stock up on fruits and vegetables for much later use, then you might be better off getting a medium-sized fridge. Here’s a chart to give you an idea of how much capacity you might need.

Do note that you can get about 300L capacity at most with a budget of 20k.

2. Inverter technology

Inverter technology is an incredibly advanced and versatile technology that’s used by all kinds of home appliances.

When it comes to refrigerators, one that uses inverter technology will run with a compressor that varies its speed based on the load inside. This allows the refrigerator to put in just the right amount of cooling without wasting power and adding to electricity bills.

Refrigerators without inverter technology always run with the same amount of power, even if the refrigerator barely has anything inside. As such, these refrigerators tend to waste a lot of power. You should strive to get an inverter refrigerator if you want to get the most value out of your purchase. The initial price may seem to be a little high, but you’ll comparatively save a lot of money in the long term.

Recommended Reading: What is Inverter Technology in a Refrigerator?

3. BEE Star rating

The Bureau of Energy Efficiency, or BEE, is an organisation that rates home appliances based on their power consumption. It is a very reliable way of getting an idea of any product’s power consumption, including refrigerators. All refrigerators are rated by BEE, with a star rating of 1 star or at most 5 Stars.

5 Star refrigerators are the best when it comes to consuming less power, but they’re also significantly more expensive. On top of that, they’re harder to find in this price range- you won’t get a lot of refrigerators that cost 20k and have a 4 Star or 5 Star BEE rating. There are still a few options that can certainly be the best refrigerator under 20000, though.

Do keep in mind that the rating isn’t permanent- it will continue to go down by each year if any new technologies come out on future refrigerators that positively impact power savings.

One more thing is that you shouldn’t base your final decision based on these ratings- put more priority into the customer reviews to ensure that the power savings are as they’re advertised.

4. Twin Cooling

Twin Cooling refrigerators are certainly a great advantage and easily qualify as some of the best refrigerators under 20000. They allow the user complete control over how the fridge cools. Normally, a refrigerator will have one freezer and one fridge. That’s enough for regular use, but if there’s a time when the user needs to freeze something, but the appropriate compartment is already filled up, then things can be a little inconvenient.

The convertible technology is designed to assist with such issues. Samsung initially invented it, but as of now, many other great brands have started to incorporate it into some of their best refrigerators. With it, the user can change the way a compartment works. You can turn the freezer into a regular fridge or vice versa. As such, you can get a lot of extra space with this kind of refrigerators.

On top of that, you can also enjoy some significant power savings. You can reduce electricity consumption by turning off one of the compartments separately while keeping the other turned on.

5. Built-in stabiliser

India is prone to electrical issues in even its most developed areas. Hence, every electrical appliance in your home should be equipped to deal with the most common issues. That includes your refrigerator. Its compressor can easily get damaged due to voltage fluctuations, and you have to spend a lot of money on repairs.

A voltage stabiliser is an easy solution to such a problem, and it can easily keep your refrigerator from malfunctioning. Earlier, you could only buy a separate stabiliser, but the most recent refrigerators come with their own built-in stabilisers that work just as effectively. A good fridge generally has this feature.

6. Design

The design of a refrigerator is vital in various ways. On the surface level, your refrigerator’s appearance would be best off being in a way that fits into the overall aesthetic of your kitchen. There are practical aspects of a design as well. A refrigerator’s design also includes how the contents of its compartments are arranged. You need to find one that has shelves that are spacey and easy to maintain. The racks on each refrigerator are different as well.

Make sure to look into the back of the refrigerator while considering the design, as some models come with a few important parts exposed. The exposure can cause harm to the fridge if dust accumulates around these parts.

7. Defrosting

Ice is an inevitability when it comes to refrigerators, especially when it comes to their freezer compartments. The regular compartment has bits of ice in it as well, though the freezer is the one mostly filled with the ice as it usually stays under sub-zero temperatures.

While this may not seem like much, it can actually impact the cooling ability of the fridge. That’s because the ice hampers the airflow, causing the cold air to spread less evenly. Hence, a refrigerator needs to be defrosted often. If you go for a Single Door Refrigerator, you’re going to need to defrost it by manually pressing a button every once in a while. On top of that, you also need to wait a few minutes for the ice to melt away completely.

Refrigerators with multiple doors work differently, though. They use an automatic defrosting mechanism through Frost Free Technology. It automatically monitors the inside of the fridge and cleans out the ice on its own whenever necessary.

8. Cool Pack

Cool Packs are a great solution to power outages. If the power does go out, these packs help keep the air in the refrigerator cold until the power gets back on. These packs work because they’re filled with Cooling Gel, which can easily retain the cool air.

The best thing about these cool packs is that the better ones can last several hours after the refrigerator has turned off, so they’re a very effective counter against electricity issues.

9. Refrigerants

Refrigerants are one of the main components of a refrigerator’s cooling process, but they don’t have too much of an impact on the actual cooling. However, they do have a significant impact on the environment. Older refrigerants are very ineffective and add to the levels of Global Warming.

So, to keep the environment around you healthy, you should check if the refrigerator uses an environment-friendly refrigerant or not. There won’t be any additional costs for you if you get the safer refrigerants.

Here’s a small table that describes the impact of some of the most common refrigerant gases.

The last two gases are the best, as you can see. We suggest going for refrigerators that use the R-600A; it’s slightly better than R-290.

10. Crisper

The crisper helps keep your vegetables and fruit crisp and fresh. It does so by keeping the compartment sealed so that air can’t enter even if you open the refrigerator’s main door. Aside from ensuring that the fridge you get has one of these, there are two more things that you need to keep in mind.

The first thing is that the crisper needs to be easily removable, in case you want to clean it. Secondly, if you think you’ll put in many items, it might be better to get more than one crisper.

11. Dispensers

Dispensers are incredibly handy, and they’re something that you’ll only find in some of the best refrigerators under 20000. Most standard refrigerators at this price range do not have dispensers. There are two kinds of these that a fridge can come with. One kind is the Ice Dispenser; it’s a very convenient way of quickly getting ice from the fridge without opening any of the doors.

The other kind of dispenser is even more convenient- the water dispenser. Like a tap, you can place a glass under the dispenser’s slot and use it to get cold water directly from the fridge. You wouldn’t need to bother about putting in bottles of water inside the fridge and filling up important space with this feature.

12. Build Quality

Generally, you’ll get good build-quality from any reputed brands. It’s no use getting a beautiful refrigerator if it’s made out of cheap materials. No matter what, you should make sure the one you get is stainless steel, at least. After all, the refrigerator will likely be coming in contact with a lot of water, so its better to be more safe than sorry and avoid any sort of rust formation, which can significantly lower the refrigerator’s lifespan.

13. Door Handles

These aren’t all that significant, but you should still consider them for your own comfort. The handle needs to be placed in just the right position, so you don’t have to take any uncomfortable posture to open the fridge door.

14. Shelves

Shelves are a very important aspect of the refrigerator, even if they don’t directly cause any change to the cooling. An average refrigerator will come with wired steel shelves, which are good, but they can be inconvenient if anything gets spilt on them, as the liquid can just pass through the gaps.

In fact, you’ll also have trouble keeping certain items on the grills. Instead, you should opt for shelves that are made of hard glass. They’re easy to clean and spill-proof. Plus, as the glass is hardened, they can retain heavy loads easily.

Besides the design, you should also consider the spacing of the shelves. Make sure that the gap between the two shelves is large enough and not too cramped. Many high-quality refrigerators come with adjustable shelves, where you can move the shelves up and down to add more space in certain places.

15. Odour Filter

This feature is exclusive to the best refrigerators under 20000. Finding one in an average 20k refrigerator is very rare. It’s a very handy feature that improves the efficiency of the refrigerator. Usually, some items you place in the fridge can let out an odour that spreads through the entire fridge and makes the entire space smell uncomfortable. Because of that, you’ll feel unpleasant when you open the fridge door. Sometimes the odour can even stick to other food items.

To keep the smell away, many manufacturers add air filters that keep the odour away, and the inside of the refrigerators using this feature always smell fresh and clean.

16. Noise

Average refrigerators can be really noisy and irritating, and that can get very unpleasant in a short time if you go near the fridge often. Good ones come with more than a few features that reduce the noise level significantly. The inverter compressor is one of these features. While it increases the refrigerator’s efficiency, it also reduces the noise levels significantly so that you only hear a low noise when you’re close to the refrigerator.

17. Door Cooling

This feature is brilliant and undoubtedly adds to the cooling efficiency of the fridge. Older refrigerators have trouble cooling any items near the door, as the airflow towards that direction is weaker and less even. A door cooler creates a flow of cold air by the door’s sides so that all the items at the font remain just as cool as the items in the other places. It’s a feature a lot of manufacturers tend to overlook, so if the model you’re looking at has it, then that fridge is certainly worth the money.

18. Germ Protection

Certain refrigerators come with a very advanced germ protection feature. Generally, the feature is designed to consider the internal condition of the fridge and ensure that bacterial growth stays at an absolute minimum so that your food remains both healthy and fresh.

19. Smart Diagnosis

Smart Diagnosis is a feature that can be used through a smartphone. If the refrigerator has it, you can fix several issues with it, all without having to call in a technician or looking deep into the refrigerators internal. Most models require you to call the brand’s customer care before bringing the smartphone close to the fridge. Once you do so, it will communicate to the smartphone so that the computer on the other side can collect data and provide a detailed diagnosis of the refrigerator’s condition.

20. Lighting

Refrigerators use their own lights inside so that food is easier to identify. A standard refrigerator uses regular lights, while a good one uses a power-efficient type of lighting like LED lighting. In fact, that’s what most of the good refrigerators use. You’ll notice that it’s a common feature among the best refrigerators under 20000.

21. Price

At this price range, you can’t expect to get all the features in at once. Try to gauge your needs and select all the features according to them. Try not to go for too cheap models, though, especially if the model offers attractive features. Most of the time, these are just scams and the refrigerator offered doesn’t turn out to be as good as advertised. We advise going for the higher end of 20k if you have such a budget.

22. Warranty

As the refrigerator is going to be an expensive long-term purchase, you must get one that has a lengthy and reliable warranty- you should find that if you go for a decent brand.

23. After-sales service

You’ll generally use the refrigerator a lot and keep it for a long time. As such, you might run into issues often, especially after using the fridge for a while. Hence, we suggest looking into the customer service and ensuring that it’s of high quality and easily available. Looking through the product reviews should help you judge the quality of the customer service.

Best Refrigerator Brands in India

The brand of a product is always important. It’s always best to go for a recognised brand. You might get a good deal from an unknown brand, but in the end, you might end up receiving a defective product. Even if that doesn’t happen, you have to deal with shaky customer service. These brands listed below have made most of the best refrigerators under 20000.

1. Samsung

Samsung is a premium brand for home appliances. Any product they make is always of great quality- that applies to refrigerators as well. You’ll find that their refrigerators are always very durable and long-lasting. Plus, Samsungs is one of the few brands that always add new and innovative features to their products- they came up with convertible cooling, after all. Even their customer service is of high quality.

2. LG

LG is also another high-quality brand for refrigerators. They’re great at making the right products for customers, be it TVs, smartphones or refrigerators. You’ll find that many of their refrigerators can easily fit your needs, so you’ll have a lot of options to choose from. Their customer service is also some of the best.

3. Whirlpool

You might have heard of Whirlpool; they’re known for making some of the best washing machines. They didn’t stop there, though. The refrigerators they make are also of equal quality, coming with exciting features and solid designs. The prices are quite attractive as well.

4. Haier

Haier has been starting to gain traction in the market for its refrigerator products due to all the progress they’ve been making. If you’re looking for an affordable refrigerator that has excellent cooling and durability, you can look for one in this brand.

5. Godrej

Godrej is a local brand. As it’s an Indian brand, you can expect the features and designs to be specifically tailored towards Indian citizens. The same goes for the price tag as well. Besides all that, their refrigerators are great in general, and customer service is more than good.

Best Refrigerators Under 20000: Frequently Asked Questions

1. Is it ok to buy a fridge online?

Yes, it is. Buying things online can be very safe and hassle-free. You have to be careful of the website you’re buying it from, though. Amazon is the most trustworthy site when it comes to expensive products such as refrigerators. Additionally, most if not all of the best refrigerators under 20000 are available on the website due to its popularity. Plus. you’ll find more discounts when looking at online sites as well.

2. Which refrigerator is better frost-free or direct cooling?

Frost Free refrigerators are the best. The direct cooling ones are cheaper and consume less power, but not by a large margin. You’ll find it more comfortable and convenient to use a Frost Free refrigerator. Plus, with Direct Cool, you’ll have your choices limited to only Single Door models.

3. How does a Convertible refrigerator work?

Though the compartments completely changing functionality may seem like a big thing, there isn’t much done internally to make such a thing happen. Essentially, such refrigerators have two separate fans and evaporators. This allows them to run independently from each other, as they can regulate their own temperature without relying on a single fan and evaporator.

4. What is a Side By Side Refrigerator?

You might have heard this term before. It’s a type of refrigerator, though it’s not available at a 20k budget. It looks like an almirah and has two doors that have two racks as well. The size of these refrigerators is huge, both internally and externally, which is the primary reason for them being so expensive. Most of the time, these refrigerators also come with water or ice dispensers.

5. Double Door or Single Door, which is better for me?

It really depends on your preferences, though if you’re a vegetarian, then a Single Door refrigerator is definitely the best fit for you. They can also have a much lower power consumption. If you want the higher capacity and better cooling as well, then Double Doors are the way to go.

6. Is it a must to use a stabiliser?

We highly recommend using a refrigerator that comes with a stabiliser, but it’s not a must. You might have to deal with a lot of large malfunctions, though. However, if you’re in an area with a consistent electricity supply, then you can skip this feature.

7. How frequently do refrigerators need defrosting?

Direct Cool refrigerators need defrosting often, in every 24 hours. However, if you get a particularly good refrigerator, then you can go by without defrosting for more than a day. You don’t need to worry about defrosting a Frost Free refrigerator; these refrigerators can monitor internal conditions and automatically defrost whenever necessary.

8. Is a 20k refrigerator adequate for everyday use?

20k is quite a low price for refrigerators, but the best refrigerators under 20000 will be better than any average refrigerator, especially if said refrigerator is a Double Door. Build Quality, in general, is also good, as you can find products from reputed brands. You can’t get any Side By Side refrigerators at this price, though.

9. Do refrigerator walls heat up?

The answer to this question is related to the earlier one. Before we get to that, you should know that there’s no such issue on a Single Door refrigerator that uses Direct Cool technology. It does happen on Double Door refrigerators, though.

However, that’s just a part of the design. The walls heat up to prevent any condensations of moisture. There is a very small chance of issues rising from this, but you can easily prevent that by leaving a small 10-15 cm gap between the wall and the fridge. This gap prevents heat from radiating back onto the fridge and causing damage to it.

10. Which kind of refrigerator keeps food fresh longer?

Double Door refrigerators do, as they have a more consistent airflow. The electrical fans used in them also have a significant role in keeping the food fresh for a longer time. Additionally, Double Doors are also a little better at handling moisture, which adds to their effectiveness for keeping consumables fresh.

11. Which refrigerator costs less energy?

A Single Door one does. Do keep in mind, though, because of how refrigerators work, you’ll be giving up cooling efficiency for power savings.

12. Does fridge size have any impact on electricity consumption?

Yes, as the fridge has a larger area to cool and more items that need the coolness. The bigger the capacity is, the more power it will use. Do keep in mind that the rating still matters, though. So try to make sure that the capacity is exactly as much as you need and that the star rating is high as well.

13. Is capacity related to physical size?

For the most part, it is. There is a separate measurement of the dimensions, though. Whichever size you get, just make sure it’s small enough to have a gap around all sides on wherever you’re going to place it so that you can ensure that the airflow remains unhindered.

14. How long does a refrigerator last?

A high-end refrigerator can last as long as 17-20 years. However, at this price, you’d get a lifespan of about 14-16 years, or possibly longer if you actively do maintenance. The cheapest models have extremely small lifespans, lasting only as long as 3-4 years.

Conclusion

A refrigerator is a long term investment, and it has a significant impact on your and your family’s health. Getting one of the best refrigerators under 20000 will take care of both your health and your food.

Our list should have just the right thing you need, and if it does not, our buying guide has you covered with everything you need to know to get the perfect refrigerator for yourself.

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Sourav Roy

Chief Editor at Homeliness

Sourav Roy understands the inconveniences people go through after buying a product based on the little information they find or based on what an overeager shopkeeper tells them about it. So, to save them the trouble, he dedicates his time to Homeliness, working with an experienced team to test and review new products, picking out the best on the market.

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